That is the sharing of Ms. Deryl McKissack (63 years old), CEO of McKissack & McKissack, a design and construction management firm based in Washington (USA). To achieve today's success, she had to go through many difficulties when trying to start a business in a field considered to be the domain of men.
Building a million dollar empire
McKissack & McKissack is a leading design and construction management firm in the United States. The company has been involved in many important projects, including the construction of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture; the renovation of historical sites such as the Abraham Lincoln Cathedral, the Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorials, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, D.C. Currently, according to CNBC Make It documents, the company has a revenue of $ 25-30 million / year.
A professional engineer and project manager, Deryl is the fifth generation of her family to work in the design and construction industry. With a desire to start her own company and meet many female CEOs of color in the construction industry, Deryl founded the company in 1990 with a shoestring budget of $1,000 and a business plan she wrote herself. She left her six-figure engineering job to start her own company. She said that despite her civil engineering degree and experience, attracting clients was still a challenge for her. It took Deryl five years to get a $10,000 line of credit due to banks’ lack of confidence in her business. During that time, she worked up to 80 hours a week with an employee to complete all the work for the company.
"Humility motivates us to make decisions for the common good. Emotional intelligence should be valued because it is what builds strong relationships."
Deryl McKissack
She applied as a federal contractor, landing construction projects at the White House and the U.S. Treasury building, among others. She paid herself just $7,200 in her first year of business and $18,000 in her second. She eventually paid herself a salary of $100,000 after 10 years of hard work and prioritizing employee pay. McKissack & McKissack grew to 170 employees, with offices in Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, Washington, D.C.
Deryl has a three-word motto for her business: Humble, Hungry, Smart. Expecting employees to embody this motto has transformed the company’s workforce into people who are dedicated to the same mission of success.
Mrs. Deryl McKissack
Authentic leadership is a strength of women.
Even after starting a successful business and proving to society that a woman of color can build a multi-million dollar empire, Deryl still has a desire to elevate the status of women of color in the community. In 2023, she founded the AEC Unites fund to support women of color in the construction industry. "A healthy support system is very rare for most women construction executives, especially women of color," Deryl said. "I didn't really succeed until there were more people of color and more women. Once there were more people like me in the construction and architecture industry and they dominated the fields of the industry, then I could turn around and say, 'We did it,'" she said.
According to a 2023 report by market research firm Oxford Economics, the global construction industry is expected to be worth $13.9 trillion by 2037. Yet, women make up just 1.4% of CEOs in the industry, and women of color make up even fewer. Being a woman of color in an industry dominated by white men presents challenges. Navigating your path while maintaining humility and fighting for your place in the industry requires constant effort.
“It’s a commitment to not only show up for myself, but also for those who have paved the way before me and most importantly, for the next generation. It’s about securing a place at the top and continuing to inspire the passion to overcome adversity. While this journey has certainly been challenging, I wouldn’t change a single moment of it. In a male-dominated industry, authentic leadership is a strength for women, not a limitation. It’s important to harness the power of feminine attributes in leadership. The ability to empathize, communicate and collaborate can help us stand out and drive change,” she stressed.
Deryl advises today’s students to focus on a well-rounded education that includes not only academic subjects but also skills such as critical thinking, communication and adaptability. These soft skills are important in a rapidly changing world. Taking on internships and seeking out experiences can provide real-world experience and help students build a diverse skill set. Networking is also important – connecting with professionals in their field of interest can open doors of opportunity. Being proactive and willing to learn will lay a solid foundation for young people’s future success.
Source: CNBC
Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/nu-ceo-luon-ung-ho-phu-nu-da-mau-lap-nghiep-20241106215109918.htm
Comment (0)